1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel agricultural chemical composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Agricultural chemical compositions such as insecticide compositions, bactericide compositions, herbicide compositions, miticide compositions and plant growth regulator compositions have been used in various forms, for example, emulsions, wettable powders, granules, dusts or flowables. In the preparation of these agricultural chemical compositions, various attempts have been made to make good use of the efficacy of the agricultural chemical, but it has been found to be difficult under current circumstances to further potentiate the agricultural chemical through formulated contrivances. Further, it is difficult to develop various novel agricultural chemicals. Thus it is highly important from an industrial viewpoint to further potentiate the existing agricultural chemicals.
There have been known various surfactants which are nitrogen containing compounds (for example, quaternary ammonium salts, betaines and amine oxides) which can potentiate agricultural chemicals (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 145205/1988). It is also known that quaternized ammonium salts comprising a long-chain alkyl group(s) and quaternized ammonium salts comprising a long-chain alkyl group(s) and a polyoxyethylene unit(s) are particularly effective therefor from among these surfactants. The above-mentioned quaternized ammonium salts capable of potentiating agricultural chemicals have halogen atoms as the counter ion. However the potentiating effects thereof are still unsatisfactory.
In 11691 Chemical Products (page 906, published on Jan. 23, 1991, ed. by The Chemical Daily Co., Ltd.) there was reported a quaternized di(hydroxyethylene) alkyl methyl ammonium methosulfate represented by the following formula (a): ##STR2##
Japanese Patent Publication-A No. 149329/1990 (published on Jun. 7, 1990, NIPPON OILS & FATS K.K.) discloses a quaternized ammonium salt as an emulsifier for agricultural chemical compositions represented by the following formula (b): ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent an oleyl group, R.sub.3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R.sub.4 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a poly(1 to 50)oxyethylene group and X represents a halogen atom, --CH.sub.3 SO.sub.4 or --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 SO.sub.4.
The above-described Japanese Patent Publication-A No. 149329/1990 (published on Jun. 7, 1990, NIPPON OILS & FATS K.K.) further discloses a combination use of the above-described quaternized ammonium salt with a surfactant, e.g., a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant and an amphoteric surfactant, other than the quaternized ammonium salt.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,118,324 and 4,134,970 (published on Oct. 3, 1978 and Jan. 16, 1979, HOECHST AG) disclose a quaternized ammonium salt for hair preparations and textile softeners represented by the following formula (c), U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,521 (published on Sep. 10, 1985, NATIONAL DISTILLERS CORP.) discloses a quaternized ammonium salt as an antistatic agent represented by the following formula (d), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,307 (published on Sep. 3, 1976, TEXACO INC.) discloses a quaternized ammonium salt as a fabric softener represented by the following formula (e): ##STR4## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 to 24 carbon atoms, a cyclohexyl residue or an aryl group substituted by an alkyl group, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a benzyl group, X and Y each represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group provided that X and Y are not methyl groups simultaneously, A represents a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, --CH.sub.3 OSO.sub.3 or --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OSO.sub.3 and n is 1 to 20; ##STR5## wherein R represents an aliphatic group having 5 to 19 carbon atoms, R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and X and Y are integers of 1 to 20; and ##STR6## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represent sec. alkyl groups having 10 to 30 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.3 H, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, X represents a sulfate or phosphate residue, and z is equal to the valency of X.